The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-04-20
CHAT ABOUT GLOVES.

How Xavier Jouvin Has Benefited Man
kind by a Cunning Invention.
The history of the glove runs back
many years. Homer, when drawing
the portrait of the old age of Laertes,
represented the patriarch as working
in fertile garden, his hands protected
by gloves from the thorny shrubs
which might otherwise tear his flesh.
Xenophon, in describing the effemlnacy
of the Persians after the death OF
Cyrus, says that these people were not
content with protecting their, bodies
feet, and arms from the weather. but
even went so far as to cover their fin
gers with delicate furs. Xenophon
speaks of the simple skin glove which
protects from the heat Of the sun and
declares it to be an article of luxury
IN ornament adopted through the de-
sire of pleasing. Among the Romans,
gloves were very much worn. An
Athenian writer relates that celebrat-
ed gourmand never failed to put on
his gloves when invited to festival, as
by this means he could seize upon the
viands while yet hot 1t will be seen
that at Rome. rs well AS at Athens, the
wearing of gloves was regarded as a
mark of luxury aud elegance. 1t is
doubtful if Pliny, the elder, would have
been able to write under rain OF
sulphur and hot ashes from old
Vesuvius had he not protected his
hands with gloves. Tracing history
from this remote age it is found that in
1902 the Bishops of Paderborn and
Manserot received each a glove as a
mark of their possession of their sees.
In the reign of Edward IL, King of En-.
Gland, an Earl of Carlisle was convict
ed of high treason, and, among othe'
circumstances of his degradation,
Washlngham relates that his spurs
were broken and that he was deprived
of his gloves. The annals of chivalry
abound with anecdotes in which the
glove is introduced as mark Of def
ance Or an emblem of heroic gal.
lantries.
In our days the glove appertaips
principally TO private life. But des-
tined for everyday life and for the use
of every one, it was forced to bow be-
fore the inhexible rules of method and
accommodation. 1t was necessary that
they should leave to the hand all the
grace of its outline, all the delicacy Of
its touch, and. if we may use the term.
all the perfection of its physiognomy,
and at the same time supply consid.
srable demand. An author competent
to bring about this dasire was Xavier
Jouvin, and the invention of 1884, from
which sprung the Jouvin glove, re-
mains the transformation point of an
object of capricious fancy into repro
duction indispensable to the toilet.
From memorandum on the glove
trade and on Xavier Jouvin read be-
fore the Statistical Society of Grenoble
it is shown that the primary matters
used at Grenoble were generally OF
good character. but it was to
glove-making that Xavier Jouvin
gave his attention. This public bene.
factor has now found the means of Civ
ing to the shape of the glove really
mathematical precision by means OF
mathematical instruments. Before
Xavier Jouvin's invention the cutting
out was done with large scissors, so
that the play of the instruments could
not be regulated with exactness and
precision. This exact direction was
equally wanting in the manner fol-
lowed up to that time in taking the
measure of the hand in such manner
that the glove may fit itself to each
hand in accordance with its peculiar
dimensions in length, width and thick
ness. On this essential portion of the
work glove-making had no laws to
direct the workman, either in cutting
out the glove or in fitting it to the hand
of the purchaser. In respect to these
two points Xavier Jouvin's system has
changed and improved the art of glove.
making. - Chicago Herald.